
Last autumn, CFINE and Friends of St Fitticks Park Outdoor Learning Team delivered a plant propagation workshop. Held during the October school holidays, the workshop was the perfect opportunity to allow children aged 7-12 and their parents to learn new exciting skills.
CFINE volunteer, Ellen Firmin was supported by our Community Growing Development Worker Rebecca. They worked together to show participants how to take cuttings and grow new plants from existing ones. Everyone who participated was able to take home their new plants.

Below is an account of the workshop by CFINE volunteer Ellen Firmin.
‘It was a wet morning for our plant propagation workshop! But the organisers said it was business as usual, and in Aberdeen we can’t afford to be put off by a little rain, so we put on our waterproofs and hoped someone would join us. We needn’t have worried, there wasn’t room for anybody else by the time everyone arrived.
The shelter was open sided and there were tables and some chairs within so we could work in the dry. And again the organizers were prepared, they had sheets of polythene to put up which kept the rain out, so it was cosy.
Our aim was to show others how to take cuttings from shrubs in the autumn. With a little practice you can root and grow lots of shrubs for free. The wood on the branches we used was semi-ripe, meaning there is still an active growing tip with leaves, but the rest of the stem has gone woody.

We chose shoots from the ones provided that were healthy looking, and cut off a 20 cm length. Then we prepared the actual cutting by removing all but a few leaves at the top and cutting across the stem just below a node (where the buds are) at the base. The finished cuttings were 10 – 20 cm long. Lastly we put them into a pot which was filled with a mix of 50:50 peat-free compost to vermiculite. We watered and covered them with a polythene bag.
As usual the children were the first to have a go. Their enthusiasm gave everyone else courage to try it. With practical work I for one have to do something at least once so that I’ll remember and take in any details. So it’s good to have a go with someone nearby to guide you.
Two hours went past in a flash, helped by a welcome hot cup of coffee halfway through. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and in no time it was tidy-up time. We just hope that all the potted cuttings that went home with the participants rooted!’

Want to get involved?
You can register your interest for future free gardening workshops in Aberdeen using the link below.
Register Interest HereAbout CFINE
CFINE’s core purpose and aims are to improve health and wellbeing and the environment, tackle poverty and build resilience for and with disadvantaged, vulnerable, low-income individuals, families and communities in North East Scotland. We provide a wide range of support services including food bank, pantries, warehouse skills development programme and benefit and budgeting support with the SAFE Team.
Our Community Growing team offer free support services to community garden projects and run growing courses throughout the year. You can find out more about our Community Growing team here.
Did you know we also sell fresh fruit and vegetables?
We can deliver your five a day straight to your door around Aberdeen. All profits raised from this go straight back into CFINE to help fund our support services. You can find out more here.